Music Bands

Most people's neuroses aren't very interesting, but Coldplay
have parlayed theirs into a tidy, charming emotional dystopia
of multiplatinum pop.

X&Y finds the band still perched on the fine line
between new and old, with melodies that are familiar without
being obvious, vocals that emote without being overly
dramatic, and lyrics that express dissatisfaction without
bumming you out. Their arrangements don't deviate much
from formula, layering the pounding, zealous arena rock
of U2 with a whiff of Radiohead's stylish paranoia. But
the fact that they've managed to keep their oddly marketable
version of ennui alive despite being rich and sexy is
no small feat.